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Saturday, 7 December 2013

On film: The Ladykillers

In
which G.M. Norton comes over all Barry Norman and waxes lyrical about one
of his favourite films.

When I
look back at my childhood, some of my happiest memories are curling up on a
rainy day, staring up at the idiot’s lantern and watching a film.

Laurel and
Hardy featured quite prominently and in later years, I was introduced to the
Carry Ons, Alfred Hitchcock masterpieces and James Bond. Ealing comedies were
also a favourite of the Norton household, especially The Ladykillers.

Released in
1955, The Ladykillers featured a stellar cast including Sir Alec Guinness and
Peter Sellars, in one of his early roles.

The
Ladykillers has it all - a dotty old dear; a topsy-turvy house; caricature
crooks posing as a string quintet; a heist; double-crossing; a battle of
morality over money and even a pet parrot going under the marvellous moniker of
General Gordon. Bracing stuff, what?

Set in
post-war Britain, it is during an age where peelers stood on every street
corner, telephone boxes were painted red (and in full working order) and steam
trains chugged triumphantly along in the background.

The star
of the show is one Mrs. Wilberforce, played with aplomb by the wonderful Katie
Johnson, aged seventy-six at the time.

Mrs.
Wilberforce is a staple of society, only too happy to help the police with
their enquiries. However, as her extensive reports are rather fanciful and
far-fetched, the police officers politely listen to her tall tales before
filing the information in the over-stacked waste paper bin.

Sitting
amongst the remnants of the bomb-hit King’s Cross in Old London Town, the
eccentric widow is offering rooms to let in her sweet little lopsided house. It
is here that she receives a visit from a Professor Marcus (Sir Alec Guinness) who
is most interested in taking lodgings in her abode.

Sporting a
smile that has a whopping great whiff of trouble, the ‘Professor’ claims to be
part of an amateur string quintet interested in using the room for rehearsals.
However, unbeknown to Mrs. Wilberforce, the ‘musicians’ are actually a gang the
Professor has assembled, with the intention to loot a security van at the
nearby King’s Cross Station. What’s more, Mrs. Wilberforce has a vital role to play
in the plan, as devised by the sinister ‘Professor’.

Professor
Marcus heads a gang of four very different men that includes a Cockney spiv; a
gentlemanly Mayor (and con-artist which somewhat harms his gentlemanly
credentials); a slow-witted ex-boxer who is quite the gentle giant; and last,
but by certainly no means least, the vicious continental gangster complete with
signature violin case.

The comedy
crime caper is all the more memorable by a series of incidents brought about by
the meddling of the sweet Mrs. Wilberforce, which the gang are forced to deal
with, or stare upon in disbelief and horror.

The
screenplay by William Rose is quite exemplary.

The first
act concentrates on the planning and execution of the robbery and the gang
generally charming Mrs. Wilberforce who is really quite impressed with their purported
musical abilities.

The second
act deals with Mrs. Wilberforce smelling a rat. This may have something to do
with the ex-boxer chap catching his cello case in the front door during the
gang’s attempt to leave the lodgings. A banknote splattered floor and the
discovery that the cello case contained no musical instrument at all certainly
raised alarm bells for Mrs. Wilberforce.

The third
and final act is the most interesting of the lot. This is the one where the
gang devise how to deal with their interfering landlady.

I will not
spoilt the ending for those who haven’t had the good sense to watch this fine
example of film-making. As if you haven’t already surmised (you are a clever
lot, after all), I thoroughly recommend this rip-roaring yarn.

With black
comedy blended with social-commentary characters, delightful music and a first
class ensemble of Thespians, The Ladykillers is in my mind at least, quite
unparalleled in charm.

2 comments:

I love this post! I am so with you, my childhood too, rainy Sunday afternoons, Ealing comedy or some Hitchcock. Parfait! The cast in Ladykillers is jut wonderful I would hate to see the modern remake. No one can top Guiness, Sellers, Lom and Parker for me in this.I saw the stage version recently and must say it was very funny and really enjoyed it but the film really is a classic. Cliche, but they just don't make them like that anymore. I watched Kind Hearts and Coronets again recently. Have you seen this Mr Norton? I remembered how suave and cheeky Dennis Price was!

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What-ho!

G.M. Norton is an aspiring English gentleman. Follow
him as he embarks on a journey befitting fellow quest seekers Sir
Galahad and Mr. Phileas Fogg in search of his holy grail - a gentlemanly
existence. Prepare to dance with death and fox-trot your life away as
he regales you with tales of sartorial splendour, jolly japes and
dastardly deeds. A rip-roaring adventure awaits.